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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24830794">Watch What Happens</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haberdasher/pseuds/Haberdasher'>Haberdasher</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Magnus Archives (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(i mean we don't know the canon one yet but it probably won't be exactly this), Alternate Ending, Apocalypse, Archivist Jonathan Sims, Gen, Minor Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, POV Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Possession, Post-Canon, Swearing, Wish Fulfillment</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:29:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,960</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24830794</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haberdasher/pseuds/Haberdasher</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>One possible version of the inevitable Panopticon showdown.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Watch What Happens</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The stone staircases were every bit as steep as Jon remembered them being in the tunnels, but now instead of leading down they led up, up, up to the Panopticon, up to the tower visible everywhere in the world now, up to the moment that he and Martin had been waiting for for a long, long time.</p><p>The staircase was too narrow for both him and Martin to stand on at the same time, but they held hands as they ascended together, Jon leading the way. Part of it was protection in case one of them slipped, literally or metaphorically; part of it was just clinging to what comfort they could while that was still an option.</p><p>Jon didn’t know what awaited him in the Panopticon, exactly, but he knew that it would change things, one way or another.</p><p>As Jon took the final step up, the first thing he noticed was the view. Just as all the world could see the Panopticon now, the Panopticon could see all the world in turn. All the horrors he had unleashed, all the suffering playing out because of his actions, it was all within Jon’s view at once now, the sights of a world transformed almost beyond recognition.</p><p>Jon only wished that how he felt about the sight of it all was simply horrified. There was more to it, though, whether he liked it or not, whether he wanted it or not, and the gasp he let out was not entirely displeased.</p><p>The second thing Jon noticed was Jonah Magnus in Elias Bouchard’s body--the man he had called Elias for years, not knowing he was just using the name of one of his victims--staring right at him, bright eyes gleaming in the dim light.</p><p>“Hello, my Archive.”</p><p>That, at least, Jon didn’t have to second-guess his feelings about. That made his skin crawl, and a quick look at Martin as they untangled their hands confirmed that Martin disapproved every bit as much as Jon did.</p><p>He wasn’t wrong, though. Damn the man, but he wasn’t <em>wrong</em>. All that talk about how Jon was more Archive than Archivist, especially under Jonah’s supervision, being guided to play his part in the spectacle Jonah Magnus had been planning for almost exactly two hundred years now... he had a point, but that didn’t mean Jon had to like it.</p><p>“Hello, Jonah.” Jon really hoped that every bit of his hatred shone through as he spat out those two words.</p><p>Jonah raised one eyebrow. “First-name basis, is it?”</p><p>Jon felt vaguely nauseous. He had barely remembered that that was a feeling he could have. He hadn’t felt that way since before the change, perhaps since before anything that really mattered.</p><p>“I imagine you didn’t come here for small talk, so let’s cut to the chase. You’re obviously planning to kill me-”</p><p>“Figured that much out already, did you?” God, Jon loved Martin.</p><p>Jonah didn’t so much as blink at Martin’s comment, continuing as if he hadn’t been interrupted in the first place. “But there are two reasons that doing so won’t work out like you intended, and I do think you had better hear them out before you make a grave mistake.”</p><p>Jonah held up two fingers when he said the word “two,” in a gesture almost like a peace sign, and Jon seriously considered returning the gesture, but with his palm facing towards him instead of out. Would it be rude? Yes. Did he really give a damn at this point? Not really.</p><p>Still, though, Jon decided against it, instead saving his snark for rolling his eyes as he said, with every bit of hatred and sarcasm he could muster, “Fine. Enlighten us, then.”</p><p>“First.” Two fingers turned to one, held up as if to command attention, as if he were a schoolteacher in front of a class of unruly pupils, as if Jon and Martin’s eyes weren’t already glaring straight at him. “If you were planning on pulling the same stunt you’ve used on other avatars on your way here, you should know it won’t be that easy. I am every bit as connected to the Eye as you are, Jon. Turning its power on me won’t obliterate me as it has so many others now. If anything, it might just make me stronger.”</p><p>Jon considered this for a moment. Jonah could be bluffing, could be trying to save himself at the last minute, but it did make a sort of sense that the Eye couldn’t be used to take down one of its own avatars.</p><p>“That’s not the only way we can get rid of you.”</p><p>“No, I suppose not, but it would make things easier for you, wouldn’t it? You’ve grown so accustomed to using the Eye’s power rather than your own... but insisting on going that route here would just lead you right into the second problem.”</p><p>Jon gently massaged his temple, careful not to impede his vision too much in the process. “And what might <em>that</em> be?”</p><p>Jonah steepled his hands and shot Jon a wry grin. “I think it’d be easier to show than tell in this particular instance.”</p><p>Before Jon could ask what Jonah meant by that, Jonah’s hands unsteepled, the smug grin fell off his face, and seemingly out of nowhere, he began running in the direction of the nearest staircase. His steps were neither graceful nor especially fast, though, and it wasn’t hard for Jon to grab his arm as he ran past, yanking him out of his run and pinning him against a stone wall within the Panopticon.</p><p>“What the hell is-”</p><p>Jonah’s eyes were wide and frightened-looking, a look Jon couldn’t remember ever seeing on his boss’ face before, and his eyes welled up with tears that were on the verge of falling any second now.</p><p>Something was definitely wrong here, and the shaky sound of Jonah’s voice interrupting his only confirmed as much.</p><p>“P-please don’t hurt me. I didn’t- didn’t want this, any of this, but I couldn’t stop him-”</p><p>His eyes were also hazel, now, and in all the years working with him, Jon had never seen Jonah with hazel eyes...</p><p>But this wasn’t <em>Jonah</em>, was it?</p><p>“So you are...” It wasn’t a question, not exactly. Jon wasn’t sure if his compulsion would even work, but he didn’t want it to now, didn’t want to force the truth out of someone who was already near tears.</p><p>“E-Elias Bouchard. The- the real one. From before he took over. I’ve been just-” He slumped his shoulders a little. “Just watching for all these years. This is the first time I’ve been able to do a damn thing in <em>decades</em>.”</p><p>“I see.” Jon heard Martin snort softly at that. “But how is that a <em>reason</em>...?”</p><p>Jon saw it, this time, saw Elias’ eyes change from that strange hazel color to a hue much more familiar, and he knew what it meant. Jon released his grip on Jonah Magnus and took a step back.</p><p>“I thought that much would be obvious, but apparently I have to spell things out for your benefit once again.”</p><p>Jon clenched his teeth, could feel them grinding against each other, though that was probably still better than spitting out any of the responses that came to mind.</p><p>“If you kill me, Jon, then you’re killing him, too. He’s still in this body, even now, watching everything that happens. <em>Feeling</em> everything that happens. Are you really going to kill Elias Bouchard just to get back at me?”</p><p>Jon let out a slight gasp, though he hadn’t meant to.</p><p>Elias- no, <em>Jonah</em> took a step closer, leaning slightly over Jon. “You could do it, if you wanted to. I could even turn over the body again, let you use your precious Eye powers to obliterate it, give you that revenge you’ve been seeking for so long. But you’d be killing an innocent man in the process. I know you’ve thought long and hard about how much suffering, how much death, has come about because of your actions. Are you prepared to add Elias Bouchard’s name to the list?”</p><p>Jon looked away from Jonah, was greeted by the sight of terror upon terror playing out in the world beyond the Panopticon, looked back at Jonah with a soft sigh of resignation.</p><p>Martin called out Jon’s name, but it felt like it was from far away. Jon barely heard it, didn’t bother seeking out the source, his mind too preoccupied with the dilemma in front of him.</p><p>“Or you could just leave. Leave the Panopticon the way you came, and find a new quest to pursue. The old one was doomed to failure, anyway; killing me won’t undo what we’ve created together. I’m sure you could find plenty of other ways to occupy your time out there. But I won’t stop you from killing me, either, from proving the truth behind my words too late. That’s entirely up to you. Make your choice, Jon.”</p><p>Jon’s hands were shaking slightly, and his mouth suddenly went dry as he tried to put half-formed thoughts into words. “I...”</p><p>“What about this?”</p><p>This time, Jon turned to find the source of Martin’s voice, seeing out of the corner of his eye that Jonah was doing the same. He’d almost forgotten that Martin was there with him, and felt embarrassed that he could ever have forgotten such a thing, could ever have forgotten the presence of someone as important as Martin.</p><p>Jon had also forgotten that within the Panopticon lay Jonah Magnus’ original body, but Martin evidently hadn’t forgotten, as he was standing right next to it. And, as Jon looked closer, he saw that Martin was holding one of the larger knives they had packed just above Jonah Magnus’ chest.</p><p>Then Martin plunged the knife into Jonah Magnus’ heart, and Jon only just had time to notice that the liquid that flowed out of Jonah Magnus’ body didn’t look quite like blood should before the pain set in.</p><p>Jon felt like he was being burned alive. Jon felt like he was being torn apart, limb by limb, cell by cell. Jon felt like hundreds of needles were being jammed into every millimeter of his body. Jon felt a thousand pains rolled into one, torment upon torment and agony upon agony, the lot of them blending together into some unholy whole much worse than the sum of its parts.</p><p>Jon’s vision, always so clear, began to fade and blur, and he welcomed the darkness as it embraced him, hoping that it would grant him some modicum of relief.</p><p>The darkness lingered as he heard the voice, distant and muddled, as if from underwater. It was Martin’s voice, that much he could tell, but he couldn’t make out any individual words, let alone the gist of the speech.</p><p>Then a slight sting, and the world returned, blurry but definitely there, and Martin’s words became clearer.</p><p>“-<em>up</em>, Jon, please, come back-”</p><p>Jon groaned--more out of grogginess than anything else, as the anguish he had expected to come rushing back was still gone, without any discomfort left in its wake--and Martin’s rapid-fire speech paused for a moment.</p><p>“Jon?”</p><p>The blurriness resolved itself into clear vision once more, and Jon realized only belatedly that his eyesight had only appeared so blurry because Martin had been shaking him the whole time. Martin’s face hovered above him, a million different emotions fighting for control over his expression, as he knelt on the stone floor of the Panopticon.</p><p>Jon opened his mouth without planning his words in advance, figuring that reassuring Martin that he was awake again was more important than the details, and surprised himself a bit by coming up with, “For better or for worse, yes.”</p><p>Martin let out a soft, shaky laugh, and Jon felt something wet fall onto his cheek. “I- I thought... you weren’t waking up...”</p><p>“How long was I out?”</p><p>“I don’t know, Jon, it’s not like I could check my bloody wristwatch... a while? Longer than I would like.” Martin paused for a moment before adding, “A lot longer than I was, I think.”</p><p>“You felt it too?”</p><p>“A bit.” Martin scratched the back of his head nervously. “But I knew it was coming, you just- just collapsed on the floor, I thought maybe you’d hit your head, and stone’s not exactly the most forgiving surface for that sort of thing...”</p><p>Jon let out a soft, bitter laugh. “It’ll take a lot more than that to kill me.”</p><p>“Don’t even <em>joke</em> about that.” Martin stood up, extending one arm towards Jon. “Need a hand?”</p><p>“Don’t mind if I do.”</p><p>Jon was pretty sure Martin pulled him up more than he actually pulled himself up, but what mattered was that he was up, was standing once more, and the pain that had caused him to collapse and black out was still gone. Also, Martin’s hand had been warm and soft, and even though he no longer needed the lift Jon’s hand was still brushing against Martin’s, the two just barely making contact still.</p><p>Jon noticed, idly, that Martin’s clothes were covered in specks of the not-quite-blood that had flowed out of Jonah Magnus’ body, but while it was unpleasant-looking and probably uncomfortable, it wasn’t the <em>worst</em> thing that had gotten on either of their clothes during their journey.</p><p>Jon’s train of thought was abruptly disrupted when his eyes fell upon a human figure still collapsed on the stone floor around them; as he approached, Martin following close behind, he heard the man swearing a blue streak, the profanities he let loose both inventive and especially obscene.</p><p>“Hello?” Jon asked.</p><p>“Are you alright?” Martin added.</p><p>The man sat up, and only then did he recognize the face of Jonah- no, of Elias Bouchard staring up at him.</p><p>“‘ve been worse... been a hell of a lot better, too, though...”</p><p>Elias sat up with a groan before locking eyes with Jon.</p><p>“Are you gonna kill me now, too?”</p><p>Jon looked over at Martin, who shook his head slightly, eyes wide.</p><p>“Depends. Who are you, exactly?” Jon was pretty sure he knew the answer already, but, well, better safe than sorry.</p><p>He didn’t hesitate to answer. “Elias Bouchard, the original, like I said before. Son of Julian and Nancy Bouchard, though Mum’s been dead since I was a kid. Only joined the Magnus Institute because I wanted a cushy office job and not many places would take someone with my shit grades. Didn’t even believe in the supernatural until, well-” Elias made a vague, wobbly hand gesture. “-all of <em>this</em> happened.”</p><p>Jon let out a soft breath. “No, I don’t think either of us are going to kill you now, Elias.”</p><p>“Well, uh, thank you, then.”</p><p>“What, for not killing you?” Martin asked.</p><p>Elias laughed, and it sounded very little like the sort of laughs Jon had heard come out of Elias’ mouth before, self-satisfied and pompous; it sounded much more like a genuine, normal laugh, full of humor and free of self-consciousness, even despite the current situation.</p><p>“Sort of, yeah, but also for, well, for killing <em>him</em>.” Elias pointed his thumb back at the body of Jonah Magnus. “I honestly thought I’d be stuck like that for the rest of my life, just watching him walk around in my body, so... glad I was wrong on that one. And thanks for fixing it for me, I suppose.”</p><p>Jon thought about that for a long moment. For a while now he’d bemoaned that it seemed like he couldn’t save anyone in this new world, couldn’t help anyone, could only cause more harm, and now...</p><p>Well, he couldn’t really take credit here. Jonah Magnus’ death was all Martin’s doing, not his own. But still, it was... something. A modicum of progress, perhaps. A small sign of hope.</p><p>“Maybe you can help us in return.” Jon looked pointedly out at the unchanged hellscape that surrounded them. “Obviously things haven’t gone back to normal with his death. Do you know why?”</p><p>“Well, he was right that killing him wasn’t going to magically fix everything, he wasn’t quite enough of a dipshit to set things up like that-”</p><p>Martin let out a soft laugh, and Elias’ face turned pink.</p><p>“Sorry, is the swearing a problem? I can stop if you’d like-”</p><p>“No, no, it’s just... never thought I’d hear it from <em>you</em>.”</p><p>Elias shot Martin a wide, albeit shaky, grin. “Dipshit was actually probably my favorite word back when I was a teenager. Let it slip at a dinner party once and my dad was furious, so of course I made a point to use it as often as possible from that point on. Drove my teachers mad, too.”</p><p>Martin laughed a bit more, and Jon struggled to hold back laughter of his own as he planned his next words.</p><p>“But if you saw everything he saw, you have to know something... <em>do you know how to put things back the way they were</em>?”</p><p>Martin pressed his arm against Jon’s and said Jon’s name softly, but if it was meant as a warning, it was one Jon wasn’t willing to heed. Jon didn’t care about politeness right now; he wanted <em>answers</em>.</p><p>“Not exactly? I mean, he was always just planning to make it happen, seemed to think it’d be easy sailing from there on out... and I mean, he <em>wanted</em> all of this, it’s not like he was making plans for how to back out of it all...”</p><p>Jon let out a soft sigh.</p><p>“...but I do have a few, er, theories? Given what I managed to pick up along the way...”</p><p>Jon forced his face into a weak smile. “We’d love to hear them.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you liked this, consider following me on tumblr at <a href="https://haberdashing.tumblr.com/">haberdashing</a>!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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